Qantas raising A$350m in loan, allows switching aircraft types used as collateral

Qantas is raising A$350m from a loan that allows it to switch the types of aircraft used as collateral, in what bankers and analysts said is the world's first aviation financing of this type. The loan is the first of a series under a loan facility program set up by the airline. The security for each loan includes a pool of Qantas planes that have not been pledged as collateral, including Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 narrowbodies as well as A330 and 787 widebodies. "It also gives us more flexibility in terms of what aircraft are encumbered, allowing us to change the aircraft depending on possible fleet changes or future plans," a Qantas spokesman said. <br/>